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Cited by 12Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesSexual Assault and Victimization StudiesStalking, Cyberstalking, and Harassment

Suicidal Ideation Among Male Victim-Survivors of Financial Sextortion

Liggett O’Malley, Roberta, Smith, Katelyn·2025·Victims & Offenders
DOI 10.1080/15564886.2024.2379818
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Abstract

Financial sextortion is a specific form of image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) in which an offender threatens to publicly distribute a victim’s intimate images or videos unless the victim pays a ransom to the offender. While other forms of IBSA predominately impact women, financial sextortion is unique in that adult men and minor boys are most at risk for victimization. Incidents of financial sextortion have increased globally in the last five years, yet there is limited empirical research on the psychological outcomes for victim-survivors. However, recent media reports highlight several tragic cases in which financial sextortion victims, especially minor boys, have taken their own lives in response to these coercive scams. The purpose of this study is to understand the prevalence and predictors of suicidal thoughts and ideation among male victims of financial sextortion. Using a sample of 215 victim-survivors of financial sextortion, the results indicate that suicidal thoughts are common for this group. In addition, victims who experience concurrent self-conscious emotions (such as shame, guilt, embarrassment, and humiliation) and hypersensitivity are more likely to endorse suicidal ideation. The results also indicate that among participants who do endorse suicidal ideation, depressed mood significantly predicted severity of suicidal thoughts.

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Crossref · 10.1080/15564886.2024.2379818

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  • The finding of Cluster 3 provides rare empirical support for prior research linking sextortion to severe outcomes such as suicide and enduring psychological harm by demonstrating a direct connection between technologically mediated coercion and fatal real-world consequences.

    “This finding provides rare empirical support for prior research linking sextortion to severe outcomes such as suicide and enduring psychological harm by demonstrating a direct connection between technologically mediated coercion and fatal real-world consequences (Nilsson et al., 2019; O’Malley, 2023, 2025).”

    From Constructing Offender Typologies From Judicial Data: A Clustering Analysis of Sextortion Cases (2026) · cites this paper as O’Malley, 2025

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Authors
Liggett O’Malley, R., & Smith, K.
Affiliations
  • University of South Florida
  • University of South Florida (US)
ORCID
Venue
Victims & Offenders
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2024-07-19
Volume
20
Issue
7
Pages
1285-1306
ISSN
  • 1556-4886 (ISSN-L)
  • 1556-4991
DOI
10.1080/15564886.2024.2379818
OpenAlex
W4400826349
Cited by
10
References
73
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 2
FWCI
5.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Victims & Offenders (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Stalking, Cyberstalking, and Harassment
Keywords
image-based sexual abuse, suicidal ideation, male victims, victim-survivors, self-conscious emotions, shame, guilt, depression, minors, psychological outcomes

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